The dog meat shop

The palace maid outside took the letter from the guard, handed it to the maid who opened the door, glanced at Lin'an sitting on the edge of the bed, turned to the side, looking very unhappy, and then tactfully left.

The pretty palace maid who had been slapped on the buttocks by Xu Qi'an opened the door. She tore open the envelope and glanced at it.

After reading only the first sentence, the clever palace maid stopped reading and guessed whose letter it was. She covered her mouth and chuckled, "Your Highness, your humble servant has sent a letter."

Biao Biao immediately turned her face, glanced at the two pages of letter paper, then looked away again. "Too long to read."

This was very much in line with Princess Lin'an's character. The two palace maids chuckled, placed the letter on the table, and said softly, "This servant will go out first; His Highness has summoned us."

As soon as the palace maid left, Biao Biao kept glancing at the table. Once the footsteps had faded away, she walked to the table, muttering to herself, and picked up the letter to read it.

Hearing Huaiqing's words, she was a little angry. The dog servant appeared to be honest and kind, but in reality, he was a lecherous man who spent his days frequenting Imperial Academy of Music. Just thinking about it made her feel suffocated.

But not knowing why, she sulked when she got back.

Logically speaking, as a princess of Lin'an with countless guards under her command, she never cared about their lifestyles.

She sat down at the desk, her back straight, her head slightly bowed, her posture exuding energy and spirit, a testament to the good posture she had cultivated since childhood.

The night is long, and I cannot sleep. His Highness's voice and smile seem to be right before my eyes and echo in my ears. I have missed you dearly for half a month.

"Pah!" Biao Biao spat, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips.

This unconventional opening effectively conveys the other person's dependence and longing, highlighting one's own importance. Princess Lin'an was particularly susceptible to this approach.

She's a girl who loves romance, which is why the domineering CEO trope is so rare these days; otherwise, she'd be a huge fan of female-oriented novels.

She continued reading, and the letter contained many bizarre and fantastical tales, such as a water ghost attacking people in the canal, and her lackey bravely leaping into the river to save the man. After a fierce battle, he rescued the poor guard, who knelt down in gratitude and kowtowed. But the lackey helped him up and declared in a deafening voice, "A man's knees are worth more than gold!"

That's so well said! A smile played on Biao Biao's lips; the more she looked, the more engrossed she became.

She enjoyed watching these strange and unusual things; they were incredibly interesting, both thrilling and exciting.

Outside the door, two personal maids quietly pushed open a crack and peeked through. They were astonished to find Princess Lin'an sitting at the table, completely absorbed in her surroundings, sometimes chuckling, sometimes frowning, and sometimes showing a look of fear.

Quietly stepping aside, the two spoke in hushed tones:

"Is the princess in a better mood again?"

"Yes, it's obvious. He's reading the letter so carefully."

"Sister, what did the letter say?"

"Don't ask. Don't pry into the master's affairs. Have you forgotten what the palace maids taught us?"

"That Xu Qi'an is really capable. The princess has only known him for a short time, yet she's already so attentive to him. Hmm, I won't go around saying these things."

Biao Biao, still wanting more, read to the end, only to find the story had ended. The lackey mentioned a type of lotus in Qingzhou called the Red Lotus, its fiery beauty always reminding him of His Highness's unparalleled elegance in a red dress.

As she looked at her, a shy blush rose on Biao Biao's round, radiant face, making her incredibly charming.

Even though she knew no one was in the room, she still glanced guiltily at the doorway, then clutched the letter tightly in her palm.

"He, he"

Princess Lin'an heard her own heart pounding wildly, and her oval face burned with embarrassment.

How dare he write such a letter to himself? Seducing the princess—if it gets out, he'll have to pay with his life. Thinking of this, Biao Biao wanted to tear the letter up and destroy the evidence.

But she was also a little reluctant, because this was the first time since she was born that Her Highness had received a letter of this kind. The story was exciting and thrilling, and Xu Ningyan spoke so pleasantly.

Her dark, bright eyes darted around, and the clever Lin'an came up with an idea. She put the dehydrated, shriveled petals and the letter together, tucking them into a thick book—a rare copy given to her by her mother.

"Alright, now no one will notice!" Biao Biao let out a sigh of relief, hands on her hips.

Not long after, the two personal maids in the courtyard heard the princess's call, "Come in and change, I want to change into a red dress!"

The palace maids responded and entered the room to help Princess Lin'an change her clothes. At her instruction, she changed into a beautiful, fiery red dress.

Lin'an nodded in satisfaction, then twirled gracefully, her skirt billowing like a blooming flower.

"Look at my unparalleled beauty!" she said confidently, raising her chin.

The palace maids exchanged bewildered glances.

"Your Highness, are you not angry anymore?" the palace maid who had been patted on the bottom by Xu Qi'an asked tentatively.

"What are you angry about?" Lin'an retorted.

"That damned servant!" The palace maid had barely finished speaking when the woman with the arched eyebrows shot up, interrupting her menacingly, saying:

"What kind of lackey is this? You dare call me a lackey? You should address me as Lord Xu."

"My dog doesn't let anyone else bark at him," she thought to herself.

Yingmei Pavilion.

Wearing a long white cotton dress, with her hair loose and unkempt, Fuxiang was picking plum blossoms in the yard, carrying a bamboo basket.

The plum blossoms were in full bloom, and the courtyard was quiet. She wore an elaborate white dress, the hem of which trailed on the ground. A bamboo basket hung from her snow-white wrist, filled with clusters of plum blossoms that had been picked. She raised her other arm to climb the branches.

Plum blossoms and beautiful women complement each other perfectly.

The maids in the courtyard watched this scene with delight. Now, the mistress is becoming more and more detached from worldly affairs, spending her days practicing dance, tuning her zither, appreciating plum blossoms, and indulging in refined pursuits.

He rarely showed up at the tea party, or he would go out for a drink and then leave the guests behind. Far from being angry, the guests became even more enthusiastic about him.

Gradually, now being able to meet the Fuxiang Flower Queen is something men can brag about for days.

Following "A faint fragrance drifts in the twilight," there is another poem that is quite famous. "A beauty rolls up the beaded curtain, sitting deep within, her brows furrowed."

Through the propaganda of the Imperial Academy of Music), a story was fabricated about this poem:

The talented Master Xu made Lady Fuxiang cry. In an attempt to cheer her up, he paced around frantically. Finally, he drank three cups of strong liquor, and under the influence of the alcohol, his inspiration flowed freely, resulting in this poem.

A poem without a story or allusion has no soul; but once it is accompanied by allusions and tales, it immediately becomes something to talk about.

Many scholars believed this to be true, thinking that Fuxiang was a talented and fortunate woman, and that by getting to know her better, they might be able to write timeless poems like Xu Qi'an and be remembered for generations.

Great Feng's version is just hype and selling a persona!

However, ever since Lord Xu left the capital, the lady has often sighed and lamented, and every three days she sends someone to inquire whether Lord Xu has returned to the capital.

Just then, the servant guarding the gate ran in, waving a letter in his hand from a distance:

"Lady Fuxiang, there's a letter from Qingzhou, sent by Lord Xu."

Xu Qi'an dared not sign his name on the envelopes sent to the princesses, but he did not need to worry about it when sending letters to Fuxiang and his family.

Fuxiang, who had been quite interested, was first taken aback, then reacted strongly by throwing away the bamboo basket and abandoning the plum blossoms. She lifted her skirt and ran to meet them, not even letting the maid deliver the message.

She snatched the envelope from the servant's hand, her bright eyes sparkling, like a little girl who had suddenly received a gift and was immersed in unexpected joy.

When Xu Lang actually sent me a letter, Fuxiang was overjoyed because she realized that she still held a certain place in that man's heart, and that their relationship wasn't just a casual fling.

This realization made her feel lightheaded and even a little dizzy.

"My lady," the maid whispered, reminding her that the smile on her face was too foolish.

Fuxiang ignored her completely, lifted her skirt with one hand and took the letter with the other, quickly returned to the bedroom, closed the door, and eagerly opened it, reading as she walked to the bed and sat on the edge of the bed.

She pursed her pink lips and read the letter word by word, afraid that if she read it too quickly, it would be gone.

Seeing that Xu Qi'an didn't go to the Imperial Academy of Music in Qingzhou, Fuxiang felt inexplicably happy. When she heard him say that when she missed him, she should remember to get her nails done, Fuxiang was stunned for a moment before she realized what he meant.

"Pooh!"

Fuxiang blushed and spat, clutching the letter to her chest like a precious treasure. She lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and a pleased smile curved her plump lips.

The letter from the Bureau of Astronomy arrived rather late, just around mealtime. Chu Caiwei, who was striving to become Alchemist, felt that she had already used up all her efforts for the coming year.

Starting next year, I'm going to be a couch potato, and try to advance to the next level in a few years. Anyway, I don't want to work so hard anymore.

Her round, oval face has slimmed down a bit, and her chin has become more pointed.

She was sitting in the dining hall, having dinner with her fellow students, but before eating, Chu Caiwei planned to read the letter Xu Ningyan had sent her.

She was a little happy.

"There is a delicacy in Yuzhou called braised ham with yellow sprouts. Ham is a unique southern delicacy and is hard to find in the north."

"Qingzhou has countless delicacies; let me tell you about them one by one."

As she read, Chu Caiwei's eyes widened, and she swallowed hard. After finishing the letter, the ordinary meals at the Bureau of Astronomy suddenly lost their appeal.

I found it hard to swallow.

"That despicable Xu Ningyan!" Chu Caiwei slammed her hand on the table and stormed out.

Where did Caiwei go?

"I want to go to Qingzhou, and also Yuzhou!"

"Ah?"

"Let's go to a restaurant! I don't want to eat the food from the Bureau of Astronomy; it's awful!"

Before dusk, Xu Lingyue led the little boy back to the mansion from the school, followed by two strong servants.

The aunt, dressed in a deep red silk robe and a pleated long skirt, was holding scissors and trimming the potted plants in the hall.

Auntie's role as the matriarch of the family was rather dull. Her children had just grown up and were not yet married, so there was no wicked daughter-in-law for her to deal with.

In addition, the Xu Residence family was not large, unlike those wealthy and powerful families with a large number of people inside and outside the house, so Aunt Xu's burden of managing the house was not heavy.

He spends his days drinking tea, watering flowers, and taking his servants out for a stroll.

The inner city was more prosperous and safer than the outer city. She didn't have to worry about encountering bullies when she walked the streets because the inner city had Nightwatchers patrolling, the Five Guards of the capital, and constables from the government office.

She's so old, yet when she goes out on the street, men still stare at her like crazy. It's so annoying.

Xu Lingyue entered the hall and saw her mother's back as she bent over trimming her clothes. Her waist was slender, and beneath her loose silk skirt were her full, round breasts.

She was somewhat envious.

"Mom, I'm back!" Xu Lingyin had a small cloth bag hanging around her neck, which swayed as she ran.

The swaying made her lose her balance, and she bumped her head into her aunt's buttocks.

"Stop making such a racket!" the aunt scolded, turning around.

After scolding her younger daughter, she looked at her eldest daughter. "How was Lingyin's performance at the academy?"

Little Douding has started school. This was a requirement that Xu Erlang set when he came home last time. He absolutely didn't mean to vent his dissatisfaction; he simply didn't want to see his younger sister neglect her studies.

So Second Uncle Xu asked someone to find a well-known private school in the inner city. The teacher was an old scholar who was very accomplished in his studies. A scholar who had passed the imperial examinations wouldn't teach children basic education.

Even for a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, teaching children basic literacy was already using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but there was no other way; parents were giving them too much.

The children who went to school with Xu Lingyin were not from ordinary families.

Xu Lingyue glanced at her carefree younger sister, sighed, and said softly:

"The teacher said that she was always the loudest and most attentive when reading aloud. But she would forget everything afterward. Today, she finally memorized three lines of the Three Character Classic. The teacher was so happy that he almost burst into tears."

The aunt felt incredibly embarrassed and poked the young girl's forehead with her finger. "You idiot, you need to use your brain when you study. Don't let it go in one ear and out the other."

"I'm not stupid, no, no, no!" Xu Lingyin protested loudly.

You're an idiot.

"Mom is the idiot, because I was born of Mom," the little boy retorted.

"..." Her aunt was speechless, then grabbed her and spanked her a few times. The thick-skinned Xu Lingyin wasn't afraid at all, determined to prove she wasn't stupid.

The aunt sighed, deciding not to argue with the young girl; it would only make her yell and scream in frustration, without achieving anything.

"Your older brother sent a few letters back and left them on the table. Lingyue, go and take a look." Her aunt was illiterate.

Xu Lingyue's eyes lit up, and she excitedly walked to the table, picked up the letters, and glanced at them. There were three letters, one addressed to herself, one to her father, and one to her mother.

"Mom, my older brother sent you one too."

The aunt was taken aback, and a look of surprise flashed in her watery eyes. She thought to herself, "This unlucky nephew still cares about his old mother."

"I'll read it, I'll read it." The little girl felt that she had been to school for a few days and was now a scholar, so the responsibility of reading the letter should be handed over to her.

Xu Lingyue glanced at her with amusement, handed her the letter she had sent to her father, and opened the one she had sent to herself.

The little boy took the letter, his eyebrows immediately furrowing. "Wow, that's amazing! Big brother can write so many words. Big brother's handwriting is better than mine."

"Nonsense, do you want to read it or not?" Auntie sat in the chair.

"At birth, people are inherently good. Their natures are similar." She finished reciting.

"Is this a letter? Did your older brother write this?" Auntie asked angrily.

"This is the letter, I've read it aloud." The little boy flapped his arms like wings to increase his persuasiveness.

"You only know how to recite these three lines, don't you?"

By this time, Xu Lingyue had finished reading the letter her elder brother had written to her. She carefully put the withered petal into a sachet and planned to keep it safe.

Xu Lingyue's delicate oval face was full of smiles as she opened the letter she had sent to her aunt. "Mother, let me read you the letter my eldest brother sent you."

The aunt immediately shifted to a more relaxed sitting posture and nodded demurely, "Mm."

"Please take good care of Lingyin, that's all!" Xu Lingyue forced a slightly embarrassed smile. "Big brother's letter is concise and to the point."

"He deliberately wrote the letter to upset me," the aunt exclaimed, turning her face away angrily.

Xu Qi'an, Song Tingfeng, and Zhu Guangxiao changed into civilian clothes and carried only their swords. They left the post station before curfew and arrived near Huangbo Street.

They ordered a table of food at a small restaurant on the street, drinking and waiting for the sunset. Xu Qi'an had chopsticks in his mouth and a wine glass in his hand, watching the number of pedestrians on the street decrease and the sky gradually darken.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared in the west, he placed his wine glass on the table and said, "Waiter, the bill."

Song Tingfeng watched as he took out some loose silver to pay the bill, left the restaurant, and headed towards Huangbo Street. He asked in bewilderment, "Ningyan, where did you get so much silver? I've never seen you use any copper coins."

"The copper coin is not worthy of someone like me, the chosen one," Xu Qi'an retorted. "What's it to you?"

"No, I just felt that piece of silver you had just lost looked familiar, it was missing a corner. I lost three qian of silver yesterday, it was also missing a corner, that seems to be my silver?" Song Tingfeng said uncertainly.

"Be confident, remove the 'seems,' it's your money." Xu Qi'an patted his shoulder. "I found it at your doorstep."

"You son of a bitch, give me back my money!" Song Tingfeng chased after him, hitting him.

Soon, they arrived at Huangbo Street, one of the famous black markets in Baidi City. Unlike outside the street, it was not deserted; it was bustling with people.

However, they all wore hoods or masks, not showing their true faces.

The three men put on a black robe, pulled up their hoods, concealed their swords inside the robes, and entered Huangbo Street.

A strong, pungent smell of blood filled the air. Both sides of the road were lined with shops selling dog meat, including live dogs on leashes, cooked meat, and raw meat.

"I haven't eaten dog meat in years." Xu Qi'an was somewhat tempted.

After finishing our business, we bought a few pounds of dog meat to take back to the inn. Eating dog meat around a hot pot in the cold winter was one of life's greatest pleasures.

Soon, following the shop's address, they found shop number Ding 15. From the outside, it also appeared to be a shop selling raw dog meat, but the three sharp-eared individuals simultaneously twitched their ears and heard the sounds of women coming from inside the shop.

This is indeed a shop that sells dog meat.